humphrey



Dec. 7 1926.

H. S. HUMPHREY WATER HEATER Vl t wm MDI. Wm 3m J IT YI. e .n Pl e ullFiled Jan. 6, 1925 atroz nais Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED sr'ras HERBERT S. HUMPHREY, OI? KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.'

WATER HEATER.

application mea January e, 1925. serial N9. 817.

heater for domestic use which is not likely to-become clogged or. itseiiiciency lowered by collections of sediment lwithin the heatingelement.

Second, to provide an improved water heater of the storage tank type inwhich the water has free circulation through the heater when water isnot being drawn from the tank, this circulation being automatically cutoff by the incoming or supply water entering to replace water drawn outof the tank, such water passing through the heating element andconstituting a flushingrrmeans' therefor.'

Objects pertaining to details and economies of construction andoperation of my invention will definitely appear from thedetaileddescription to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the. devices and meansdescribed in the following specification. The invention is clearlydefined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawinv forming a part of thisapplication, in^whic Fig. I is a side elevation of a water heaterembodying the features of my invention, parts being shown conventionallyfor con- Avenience in illustration. l A Fig. II is a detail verticalsection through the preferred form of circulation valve.

Fig, III is a detail section through a modified form of the circulationvalve.

' Fig. IV'is a vertical section throughstill another modification of thecirculation valve.

In the drawing similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts inall of the views.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the water storage tank, the samebeing provided with a discharge connection 2 at the top controlled bythe faucet 3. It will be understood that this discharge connection is inpractice the house or delivery connection having as many faucets asdesired.

The water heater designated generally by the numeral 4 is provided witha heating element 5 preferably in the ,form of a coil'` a gas .burner 6beino' shown as the source of heat. In practice the gas burner ispreferably controlled by a thermostat but as such .thermostats andconnections are well known inthe art', I do notv illustrate the sameherein.

The bottom of the heating coil is connected to the bottom of the tank bythe connection 7 while the top of the coil is connected to the tankthrough a circulation connection 8. The water supply connection 9 isalso connected to the top of the coil. v

In normal operation when water is not being drawn from the tank, thewater will circulate from the bottom of the tank through the connection7 up through the heating element and through the circulation connection8. In 'order to direct the incoming or supply water downward through theheating coil, I provide a circulating valve which is controlled by thesupply water.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. I and II this valve comprises a casing10 having coupling members 11, 12 and'13 to which the coil 5, thecirculation connection 8 and the water supply connection 9 arerespectively connected. The casing has a valve seat 14 with which theball valve 15 coacts to close the circulation connection. This valve 15is supported in an outwardly inclined tubular cage 16. having an inletport 17 opening to the inlet passage 18 of the valve casing. The outwardmovement of the valve 15 is limited by the stop pin 19 carried bythe cap19', the valve in this position being supported so that the incomingwater enters behind the valve and carries it inwardly against the seat14 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. III. The

water Hows out of the end of the cage and 'is drawn olf from the tankthe supply water enters to replace the same. This supply water actuatesthe valve to close the circulation connection. As soon as the drawing ofthe water is discontinued the valve 15 returns to its open positionallowing the water to circulate upwardly through the heating element.

By causing the incoming or supply water to flow throu h the coil asubstantial current isset up wit in the coil or the water flows throughthe coil with considerable force carrying sediment from the coil orheating element into the tank where it settles to the bottom and4 may beblown off through the blow-off cock 21. This maintains the etliciencyofthe heater, it being found in practice that sediment or lime is likelyto deposit in the heating element of heaters of this general typeclogging the same, sometimes llo Y entirely clogging the heating elementnecessitating its removal for cleaning andrenewal. Under anyconditionsthe collection of sediment or deposit on the heating element wallslowers the elliciency of the heater.

In the modification shown inFig. III the Valve casing'22 is providedwith coupling members for. the connections to the tank and supply water,this valve casing having a circulation valve seat 23 with. which thevalve 24 coa'cts. like head 25'exposed to the incoming water in thepassage 26. When the valve is vforced inwardly bythe incoming wateragainst the tension of the spring 27 it uncovers the port 28communicating with the heating element passage 29. A stop pin 30 isprovided for the circulation valve.

In the modification shown in Fig. IVthe valve casing 31 is provided witha circulation valve `seat 32v for the valve 33. A

, plunger head 34 is mounted on the stem 35.

The outward movement of this plunger head is limited by the pin 36. .Aspring 37 is arranged between the head 34 and the valve 33 so that theincoming water acting upon the head first seats the valve 34 and furthern A movement against the tension ofthe spring liei will fully open theport 38 admit-ting the supply water to thev heating element.

I have illustrated the tank and the heater mainly in conventional formas the structural details thereof may be varied and my improvementsreadily adapted to heaters having heating elements other than of thecoil type. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe suchembodiments or adap tations as I believe this disclosure will enable theadaptation and embodiment of my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what aim .as new anddesire to secureby Letters Patent is: 1. In a water heater, the combination of a heatingcoil, a tank provided with a valved discharge connection at thetop, thebottom of said coil being connected to the said This valve 24 has apiston.

2. In a' water, heater, the'combination of'.

a heating coil, a tank provided with a valved discharge connection atthe top, the -bottom of said coil being connected to the bottom of saidtank, there being a circulation connection for the top of said coil tosaid tank, a water supply connection to the top of said coil, and acirculation 'valve actuated by the supply water to close saidcirculation connection whereby theA supply flow isy downward through thecoil and the circulation flow may be upward therethrough.I

3. In a water heater, the combination of a heating element, a tank, thetop and bottoni of the heating element being connected to said tankproviding a circulation through the heating element, a water supplyconnection to said heating element, and a valve for said circulationconnection actuated by the supply water to close said circulationconnection whereby the supply flow is directed through the heatingelement.

4. In a water heater, the combination of a tank vprovided with a valveddischarge, a water heating element having a circulation connection withsaid tank, a water supply connection for said heating element, and awaterl actuated circulation valve operatively associated with said watersupply connection whereby the supply water actuates the valve toclose/said circulation connection and the supply vwater is directedthrough the heating element.

In witness whereof I ave hereunto set my hand. 1

HRBERT s. HUMPHREY.

whereby the

